Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has now allowed cinema halls and theatres to operate with more people in fresh COVID-19 reopening guidelines, to be effective from February 1. However, it is not yet known whether they will be allowed to operate at full capacity or with just a bit higher capacity than what is allowed now.
Post lockdown, the Centre had allowed reopening of theatres and multiplexes in several regions, including Delhi, parts of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat on October 15, 2020 with 50 per cent occupancy, functioning with stringent dos and don’ts, keeping in view the new normal. Theatres in Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh opened in November, whereas cinema halls in Tamil Nadu and Kerala resumed operation in early January.
According to the senior executive, the decision will also encourage Hindi film producers to release their films. So far only a handful of Hindi films, including “Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi”, “Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari”, “Shakeela”, “Madam Chief Minister”, and “Indoo Ki Jawani” have released in theatres while big-ticket Hindi movies with A-listers like “83”, “Sooryavanshi”, “Jayeshbhai Jordaar”, “Shamshera”, “Brahmastra”,” Prithviraj” and “Laal Singh Chaddha” are still awaiting a release date.
Due to the shutdown, several films such as “Gulabo Sitabo”, “Shakuntala Devi” and “Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl” released on digital platforms. But now more films are expected to get released on the big screen.
The film industry has welcomed govt’s decision allowing cinema halls to increase seating capacity. “This has come in a timely fashion. A lot of Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam films are being lined up for release in February. This move will help a lot of these films,” Kamal Gianchandani, CEO of PVR Pictures, said.
Leading distributor Akshaye Rathi, who owns eight theatres in Maharashtra, is hopeful that the increased capacity would translate into release of the much awaited tentpole movies. Bihar-based exhibitor Vishek Chauhan said it is the best news for the industry in a while.
Banks have reached out to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to seek clarity on legal and regulatory grey areas regarding proposed rupee vostro accounts before operationalising them to settle international trade,including that with Russia.
The Centre expects a further rise in its FY23 expenditure budget because of increased fertiliser and cooking gas subsidies besides a higher fund requirement under the rural employment guarantee scheme.
Small Indian app developers and startups offering video, audio, or book content may have to pay only 6% commission for in-app purchases on Google Play Store, a top company executive told ET.
ETPrime stories of the day
From KBC to Scam 1992: How Sameer Nair’s trendsetting content is garnering audience applause
Indian drugmakers are homeward bound
Vision 2047: why India could become the world leader in financial markets in 25 years
Trending Now
Popular Categories
Hot on Web
In Case you missed it
Top Calculators
Top Searched Companies
Top Definitions
Most Searched IFSC Codes
Top Prime Articles
Top Story Listing
Top Slideshow
Top Trending Topics
Top Videos
Private Companies
Popular Articles
Most Searched Articles
Trending Articles
Find this comment offensive?
Choose your reason below and click on the Report button. This will alert our moderators to take action
Reason for reporting:
Your Reason has been Reported to the admin.
Log In/Connect with:
Will be displayed
Will not be displayed
Will be displayed
Stories you might be interested in